EXTENSIBLE INFOTAINMENT/TELEMATICS SYSTEM HAVING UPDATABLE USER INTERFACE

• US 20080248742A1
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Erich Geiger, Lee Bauer
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Geiger, Erich, Bauer, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 8,670,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

An infotainment/telematics system includes a fixed base unit adapted to execute a set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions and a portable communication device adapted to execute a stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function. The fixed base unit includes a user interface that is updated when the fixed base unit and the portable communication device are connected for intelligent communication with one another. Additionally, or in the alternative, the portable communication device may include a user interface that is updated when the fixed base unit and portable communication device are connected for intelligent communication with one another.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a fixed base unit adapted to execute a set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions, where the fixed base unit includes a user interface;

a portable communication device adapted to execute a stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function; and

where the user interface of the fixed base unit is updated when the fixed base unit and the portable communication device are connected for intelligent communication with one another.

2. The system of claim 1, where the user interface of the fixed base unit comprises a display.

3. The system of claim 1, where the fixed base unit is fixed in a vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, where the user interface of the fixed base unit comprises browser interface access to the infotainment/telematics functionality of the portable communication device when the fixed base unit and the portable communication device are connected for intelligent communication with one another.

5. The system of claim 1, where the user interface of the fixed base unit comprises plug-in interface access to the infotainment/telematics functionality of the portable communication device when the fixed base unit and the portable communication device are connected for intelligent communication with one another.

6. The system of claim 1, where the portable communication device comprises GPS functionality, and where the user interface of the fixed base unit is updated to access the GPS functionality of the portable communication device when the fixed base unit and the portable communication device are connected for intelligent communication with one another.

7. The system of claim 6, where the fixed base unit communicates commands and data received through the user interface of the fixed base unit to the portable communication device for use in control of the GPS functionality of the portable communication device.

8. The system of claim 7, where the portable communication device streams map video to the base unit in response to the commands and data received from the base unit for use in controlling the GPS functionality.

9. The system of claim 7, where the portable communication device streams audio to the base unit in response to the commands and data received from the base unit for use in controlling the GPS functionality.

10. The system of claim 1, where the portable communication device updates firmware of the fixed base unit when the portable communication device and the fixed base unit are connected for communication with one another.

11. The system of claim 1, where the portable communication device comprises a Wi-Fi transceiver, and where the user interface of the fixed base unit may is updated to use the Wi-Fi transceiver as an Internet gateway when the fixed base unit and portable communication device are connected for intelligent communication with one another.

12. A system comprising:

a fixed base unit having a base unit processor and a user interface including a display, where the fixed base unit includes a plurality of base unit devices cooperating with the base unit processor to execute a set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions;

a portable communication device having a portable communication device processor and a user interface including a display, where the portable communication device further includes a PCD device cooperating with the portable communication device processor to execute a stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function; and

where the fixed base unit and the portable communication device may be connected for intelligent communication with one another to share a base unit device and/or PCD device, and where the user interface of the portable communication device and/or the fixed base unit is updated to facilitate access to the shared base unit device and/or PCD device when the fixed base unit and the portable communication device are connected for intelligent communication with one another.

13. The system of claim 12, where the user interface of the portable communication device is updated to facilitate access to a shared base unit device.

14. The system of claim 12, where the user interface of the fixed base unit is updated to facilitate access to a shared PCD device.

15. The system of claim 12, where the fixed base unit is fixed in a vehicle.

16. The system of claim 12, where the user interface of the fixed base unit comprises browser interface access to one or more PCD devices of the portable communication device when the fixed base unit and the portable communication device are connected for intelligent communication with one another.

17. A system comprising:

a fixed base unit having a base unit processor and a user interface including a display, where the fixed base unit includes a plurality of base unit devices cooperating with the base unit processor to execute a set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions, where the user interface comprises a browser, and where the fixed base unit includes a plurality of markup language pages facilitating user access to the plurality of base unit devices;

a portable communication device having a portable communication device processor, where the portable communication device includes a PCD device cooperating with the portable communication device processor to execute a stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function, where the portable communication device includes a markup language page facilitating user access to the PCD device; and

where the fixed base unit uses the browser to access the markup language page for the PCD device when the portable communication device and fixed base unit are connected for intelligent communication with one another.

18. The system of claim 17, where the portable communication device includes a user interface comprising a browser, and where the portable communication device may access at least one markup language page of the fixed base unit to facilitate access to a corresponding fixed base unit device.

19. The system of claim 17, where the portable communication device and the fixed base unit exchange one or more markup language pages facilitating user access to a shared device.

20. The system of claim 17, where the fixed base unit is fixed in a vehicle.

21. A method of operating an infotainment system comprising:

providing a first set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions using a fixed base unit;

providing a second set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions using a portable communication device;

sharing a stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function of the second set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions with the fixed base unit;

updating a user interface of the fixed base unit to facilitate access of the stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function of the second set of stand-alone infotainment and such or telematics functions by the fixed base unit.

22. The method of claim 21, where the shared stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function of the second set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions comprises a decoder function.

23. The method of claim 21, where the shared stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function of the second set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions comprises GPS functionality.

24. The method of claim 21, where the shared stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function of the second set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions comprises Wi-Fi functionality.

25. A method of operating an infotainment system comprising:

providing a first set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions using a fixed base unit;

providing a second set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions using a portable communication device;

sharing a stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function of the first set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions with the portable communication device;

updating a user interface of the portable communication device to facilitate access of the stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function of the first set of stand-alone infotainment and such or telematics functions by the portable communication device.

26. A system comprising:

a fixed base unit having a base unit processor and a user interface including a display, where the fixed base unit includes a plurality of base unit devices cooperating with the base unit processor to execute a set of stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics functions, where the user interface comprises a browser, and where the fixed base unit includes a plurality of markup language pages facilitating user access to the plurality of base unit devices;

a portable communication device having a portable communication device processor and a user interface including a display, where the portable communication device further includes a PCD device cooperating with the portable communication device processor to execute a stand-alone infotainment and/or telematics function, where the user interface comprises a browser, and where the portable communication device includes a markup language page facilitating user access to the PCD device; and

where the fixed base unit and the portable communication device may be connected for intelligent communication with one another to share a base unit device and/or PCD device, and where the user interface of the fixed base unit and/or the portable communication device is updated using the markup language page corresponding to the shared base unit device and/or PCD device.

27. The system of claim 26, where the fixed base unit is fixed in a vehicle.